zweiman



Dec. 9, 1924.

J. M. ZWEIMAN LOCK Filed Dec. 18, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet A TTHNE Y Dec. 9, 1924. 1,518,950

J. M. zwElMAN LOCK Filed Dec. 18, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UMTEO STATES PATENT OFFICE. g

Loox.

Application iled December 18, 1922. Serial No. 607,691.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES Maumee ZwnIMAN, aeitizen of Russia, having declared my intention of becoming ya citizen `of the United States, residing at T34 Dumont Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in -Locksyot which the following is a specilication.

This invention relatesfgenerally to improveniente in locks and more specilically to permutation locks used in connection with the steering post of a motor car.

The principal object of my invention is "to provide a locking arrangementot the permutation type applicable to the column Ot' thesteering apparatus of an automobile and having a bolt eXtensible into the rotatable steering shaft to 'prevent possible rotary movement of the latter while the bolt isengaged. l

Further Objects of the invention are to provide a locking device of this character, which is simple in construction, durable in operation, and in which by a simple operation the combination of the lock; may be readily changed from one formula to another.

The invention consists in the novel arrangement and combination ot' parts more particularly described in the following specification and embodied in the claims.

In Order to facilitate a clear understand ing of Vthepresent invention, one embodi men-t thereof is illustiatively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, wherein7 Figure 1, is a plan view ot Iny improved lock; Fig. 2 .is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing a steering post and column being embraced thereby; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the bolt releasing mechanism; Fig. 4! is a perspective view ot the tumblers and selectors removed from the housing; and Fig. `5 is a cross sectional view ot the means for guiding the selector pin trom one step in the lock to the succeeding lo-wer step.

Referring to the drawings, 10` denotes a` rectangular housing having laterally projecting collar 11 which is adapted to closely embrace the outer sheet 12 of a steering post 13. It will beunderstood that such a lsteering `column may be such as is used not only in motor cars, but in connection with The rectangular section of.

the housing 10 is composed of flat metal sides and ends and the top tace thereof is provided with a well shaped depressionl descending axially into the housing," as shown in Figure 2. The'inner` wall of the well 14 is provided with a bearing 15 which supports the Outer end Ot' an eXtensible tumbler shaft 16, the opposite end being loosely mounted about an axially projecting fixed pin 17, The outer end oi the shatt 16 projects into the well 14 to receive a dial y18 and knob 19.- Thediameter of the dial 1'8 is substantially the same as that ot the well 14, so as to permit axial movement as well as rotary movement of the dial throughout the length ot the well. Disposed about the l edge of the well and mounted on vthe tace ot the housing is a circular plate 20 provided with graduations 21 kdisposed radially thereof.

` The extensible tumbler shaft 16'is looselyl `and comprise a circular plate provided with a continuousperipheral channel ornguideway 26, which supports a tumbler ring or selector 2T therein, the latter being spliti'so as to be capable of being expanded to slip over the flanges ot the-'discs The outer periphery of the'ring or selector Q7 ispiovided witlrevenly spaced radiallyv disposed tapped openings 28 which correspond numerically with the graduations on the face of thering 20. These threaded openings are adapted to receive the threaded stem of a selector tooth 29 which may be inserted at any position about the periphery Ot the ring. For each ring 27 there is one tooth 29 which is engaged and adapted to revolve the ring to a predetermined position. The ring selector 27 is. further provided with a cut out portion which forms a space 3U and centrally disposed tooth 31. The space 30, as shown in Fig.. 3, projects from the yperiphery ot' the guide disc radially through the ring selector to the periphery thereot` to )movement ofthe shaft lthrough the discs .as hereinafter more -fully described.

The innermost disc. 24 is disposed on a plane substantially lone-half the distance .between the bottom wall of t-he housing and they-inner `f-ace of the well 14, and just in ad- .va-nce of. this disc 24 is mounted one end `of an ;L-shaped arm 33, shown in Fig. 2,

the other arm 34 being parallel to the axis 4of the shaft 16 and movable through a circular path close-ly embracing the peripheries of the ringselectors 2,7 and intercepted by the projecting selector .teeth 29. It will .clearly be Iunderstood that by revolving the arm 34 about the ring selectors 27 there will Ibe .a corresponding rotary movement iin- Eparted to the rings until the. arm itself has Airioved in an axial direction to a point where I.thaend of vthearm will escape contact with the selector tooth 29. At this point in the.

1; operation yof each ring rselecto-r 27 `the tooth and through the collar 11. rlhe-bolt 37 is` 31Iand space 30 are brought to yrest so that `.their axes are dispo-sed on a horizontal 35 plane, i.,eg.,.on .a-planerparallel with the bot- {tomandftopwalls of the housing.

Axiallyaligned with these teeth 3l, when they are moved to the above position, as illustrated in `Fig. 2, is aseries of openings .35,disposed in a'bolt bar 36, thela-tter being provided with a `bolt 37 projecting towards slidably .info unted in a sleeve 38 which is i integral at one endk with the side of the housing 10 andthe opposite Vend Vthereof pro] eets through the shell 12 to the face of thesteering ,post 13. Disposed on a plane coinciding with the axis of the bolt-37 isa bolt receiving opening 39 cut radially into thev4 yface of` the steering post 13,V sothat as the latter is Arotated to a certain position vthe bolt 37 may be projected 'into the ope-ning 39 tomlock the position of the post with re- 'lation'to thesleeveor shell 12." As shown in Figure 2, thereis a space provided between theperipheries of the rings 27 and the innerface of the bolt barI 36, so as .to 'permit` the passage of the arm 34 therebetween. The bolt 37 isV operated by means of an L-shaped arm 40` connected at rone end to the'end of the Vbolt bar 36, t-he arin projecting on a line with the bar and the-n at rightv angles to lie closely adiacentthe .inner *face ott-he well 1,4.. :A mid-portion of the Lthe shaft.

The arrangement for moving the shaft 16 axially virom one step to the next and to permit rotary movement thereof, comprises .a radially disposed-pin 42 carried by the shaft 16 closely adjacent its inner end, see -Fig. -Tlie'pin42 is capable of being moved axially through either groupof slots .32 and 32Vand also in a circular path between the discs 22. 23 and 24. ln order to .cause the `pin 42 to be raised, i. e., axially with the shaft 16, from one step to the next, toiirst revolve a ring selector 27'into proper positionandt-hen move the -end of the arm' 34 out of the `rpath of the selector tooth 29, a springfcomb holder 43 is mounted in ya corner of the housing 10 in a position to supporta `comb spring 44, the latter comprising a Vseries of prongs one member of each projecting between the discs22, 23 and 24, as shownin Figures 2 and Theiiiner ends of the prongs are provided with inclined po-rtion which project through the clinedportion of the next prong. These-inclined portions 45 when assembled, as illus trated in Figure 5, form a substantial S shaped structure, with yieldable passages opening into the plane between the discs. fiheinner end of the innermost spring is adaptedto yieldably rest against a rigid plate .46 ywhich is connected at one end to the web projecting from disc 22 and at the other end it is mounted in the 4comb holder 43. It :will be readily understood .that with the pin 42 movable through the slots 32, that rotation, of .the pin 42 towards the rightlwill merely cause it to revolve through the same pla-ne, because in its movement it will engage againsttlie back of the inclined portion 45 of the adjacent spring which in turn will yield and permit 'the pin to pass. Rotation .of the pin lin the opposite .direction .will bring .it in yengagement with the inclined face of the spring and the pin and shaft 16 willbe lifted axially of the axis and into the space between the next discs. The rotation to be effective at the next step will have `to be directed in the opposite direction, otherwise .the pin 42 will simply move in the samegplane between the contacting edges of the springs. The pin l2 and shaft 16 may bequickly returned to ltheir initial vslot-32 in the disc. to contact with the inthen pushing the dial knob, pin and shaft 16 inwardly. j

To insure a perfect `position of the bolt 37 in its twoextreme positions I have provided the under surfaceof the arm 40 with twodepressions 47 spaced apart a distan-ce equal to the throw of the bolt, the depressions 47 being adapted to receive a spring pressed ball 48.k therein, as sho-wn clearly in .Fig 3.

yAs will be understood, the characters on the dial ring 2O will correspond to all the possible positions in which the selector teeth 29may be located and the desired combination will be composed of'just the numbers corresponding to the relative positions of the `teeth 29 on their respective rings 27;

`for example, if ring selector 22 carries a tooth 29 at the 10 position, the marker or arrow 49 oni `the. dial 18-must be rotated until it, the marker 49, is registering with the 10 position on the dial ring 20, the respect-ive tooth 31 of the ring 22 will then have been brought into register with the opening 35in the bolt bar" 36. `Each ring is manipulated in a similar manner until all of the teeth 31 are in position before the openings However, after any of the rings `22, 23 and `24, are rotated the shaft .if rotated farther either in the same direction or in the reverse will ride outwardly asthe pin 42 engages the inclined surfaces of the springs44. Y

The operation of the mechanism for releasing the bolt 37 is substantially as follows: The dial knob will bein the position shown. in Fig. 2, the knob is revolvedto bring the marker at a desired character and then turned in the reverse direction until thefpin 42 has descended the adjacent spring The knob is then revolved in the same direction'until the marker points to they secondy character of the combination, where` upon the knob is reversed and the shaft and pin 42 moves axially as it rides up on the second inclined spring surface 45. This operation is repeated until the combination is completed and the teeth 31 are all in register with the openings 35. At this stage the yoke 41 will have received the arm 33 and by'rotating the shaft 16` slightly towards the right the bolt may be redrawn and the parts free tooperate. Tio return the knob and reset thev combination the pin 42, as previously explained is returned to its initial position through the slot 32 in the discs.

Having described my invention what l claim is:

1. A permutation lock of the character described, including a shaft capable of simultaneous rotaryy and axial movement, to release a bolt, a series of revolving selector members, disposed about said shaft, means ycarried by said shaft for rotating said members, and means for moving the shaft axially with each rotation thereof in one direction to disengage the first means from the selector member.

2. A permutation lock, as claimed in claim 1 including a housing enclosing the mechanism and having a well to receive the end of said shaft, an indicating dial carried by said shaft and extensible in said w'ell, and a ring mounted on said housing and surrounding the well, the ring being provided with graduations disposed there-about, whereby the said` dial may be rotated to register with the said graduations, substantiallyas described.

3. A permutation lock as claimed in claim 1, including an indicating dial rotatable and extensible with the said shaft, a fixed circular plat-e surrounding said dial and having radial graduations thereon, corresponding characters disposed ron said graduations and about the said selector members, the latter being provided with radial openings in the peripheries thereof, said openings being disposedV so as to coincide with the said characters on the members and an -insertablo tooth for the openings of each member, the said tooth cooperating with the means for rotating the dial, substantially as described.`

4. A permutation lock, as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for rotating the sel other end of which projects over the .edges` o-f the members, the latter being provided with adjustable teeth disposed about their peripheries to `be engaged by the overlying portion of said arm, during rotary movement thereof, substantially as described.

5. A `permutation lock, as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for rotating the selec-tor members includes an L-shaped arm one member of which is engaged in the said shaft while the other member projects over the edges of the selector members, the latterY being provided with adjustable projections disposed in the path of said overlying member of the arm, each selector member be- Y ing provided with slot having a tooth projecting to the periphery of the member and separated therefrom at the sides by a space, and a perforated bolt bar extensible over said teeth and having the said boltproject-` `for each member projecting through a space cut in the member, and a bolt bar extensible over said teeth and into the said space in the members, the said means for rotating the members heilig adapted to cooperate Y scribed.

with vthe said bolt bar tomoveth'e latter andthe bolt axially, substantially as de- 7. Apermutation lock, as claimed 'in claim 1, in which the said shaft rotates and moves axially about a fixed pinrand a housing supportingithe Vsaid pin at one `end and provvidedfwith'a4V Well at the opposite end to receiveindicating dial mountedon theshaft, substantially described. Y

"8. A permutation lock as claimed in claim v1,4in` whichthe said means for rotatingthe selector members includes an arm movable with-said shaft and adapted to revolve the said members a predetermined degree and thereafter being moved out of engagement by` said -means for moving the said shaft axially thereof, substantially as described.

9. A 'permutationlocln as claimed'in claim 51, including a series of separated stationary -dis'cs 'for rotatably supporting the saidA selector members, the said discs beingv provided `with slots projecting laterally 4from the said i shaft. a pin carried by said shaft and movyable therewith through said slots, themeans formoving the shaft axially being disposed in said slots and comprising inclined spring members disposed to receive the said pin when rotated in one direction to elevate it and theshaft, substantially as described.

10. A permutation lock, as claimed in claim l, in which the means for moving the shaft axially comprises a series of spring members having .inclined portions vwhich Contact with each other closely adjacent the shaft, and a pin carried by the shaft and movable therewith through a path obstructed by the inclined .portions of the springs, whereby rotary Vmovement of the pin in one direction willcause it to ride up on the adjacent spring and movement in the opposite direction will permit it vto remain on the same plane and Vslide between the yieldable contacting edges of the said inclined portions of the springs, substantially as described.

l1. `A permutation lock, as claimed in claim l, in which the means for moving the shaft axially includes a series of superposed yieldable inclined surfaces, a` series offdiscs having 'slotted openings through which the said surfaces are disposed, a pin carried by noreste the-shaft andfm'ovable in a path obstructed by the surfaces, whereby rotary movement of the pin 1n one direction causes the latter to ride up on the surfaces to a higher plane and in the opposite direction to remain on fthe same plane, and a rigid member at one vend to receive the pin as the latter is returned to its initialposition, substantially as described.

l2. A permutation lock, as claimed in claim l, including a series of grooved discs to support the selector members, a series of web vpro]ectrons connecting the said discs together and to a fixed portion of the said loclr, the said discs being provided with radial slots kdisposed on opposite sides of kthe shaft, the means for moving the shaft axially lbeingdisposed in the slots on one "side ofthe shaft, apin carried by the shaft and adapted toengage the said means to l:project the shaft, the slots on the opposite led t-obe engaged bythe means for rotating theselector members and moved through the bolt bar into and out of engagement with 'the'said teeth, substantially as described.

14. A permutation lock, as claimed in claim l, including a bolt bar operated by the means for rotating'the selector members subsequent .to the saidshaft having been moved axially to its extreme outer position, and a spring vactuated engaging means comprising a movable ball for engaging depressions in a portion of the bar, the depressions being spaced aparta distance equal to the movement of the said bar, substantially as described. l

In testimony whereof, I, JAMES MAURICE ZWEIMAN, have signed my name to this specification this 15th day of December,

JAMES MAURICE ZWEIMAN. 

